₦airaland Forum

Allta:
So now we're saying alcohol get category, it's ok to drink wine (a type of alcoholic drink with 14% alcohol) in moderation but not beer (another type of alcohol maybe 90% alcohol) in moderation. Christ turned water into Yayin - a carbonated and fermented liquid - wine but not alcohol?

Image123:
Wine itself is different from beer, and wine get classes and types. It'll be wrong to put all(e.g lager, ale, stout, juice, paraga etc) together and say 'they drank wine in the bible- alcohol is good. It pays to look WELL before you leap.

@Image123
Whilst wine is obviously different from beer i would like to let you know that it is far less intoxticating than the wine Jesus took. Whilst wine contains 11-14% alcoholic content, beer invaribly contains about 3-7% alcohol. So going by your logic since beer is much milder than wine which Jesus took, it is percfectly in order for us to consume it.

Gentle me:
Kunle this day i stand under the gospel of Christ and the knowledge that comes from obedience to say that  [size=15pt]YOU ARE CURSED IN YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF GOD AND HIS INSTRUCTION[/size], how dare you say i am curse, simply because you guys chooses to be greedy and jealoous because Men of God are blessed for their services, you stand to curse anyone who doesnt believe your SATANIC LIES

Believe me,time will tell, God's blessing abounds with them who beleive and obey.(isaiah says so)

Apart from the fact that you have placed yourself under a curse, it is you and your greedy men of god that are greedy. Your god of men is greedy becos he twists scriptures[tithes] for his own greed whilst equally deceiving the daft an deluded flock that they would receive supernatural blessings if they tithe in their churches. Obviously the gods of men appear blessed after all they are the ones receiving the tithes/offerings[whilst claiming it is God] I just wonder why these con men preach "divine blessings" whilst they lust after man made blessings[tithes]. Why can't they wait for God to bless them to rather than fleecing the flock.

@Chukwudi44
Thanx for responding on my behalf i was just about to post the same thing however i would post the scriptures here so gentleme and other deludd folks would see how they are placing themselves under a curse.

Galatians 3:10:

10 But those who depend on the law to make them right with God are under his curse, for the Scriptures say, “Cursed is everyone who does not observe and obey all the commands that are written in God’s Book of the Law.”
Galatians 5:4:
4 For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God’s grace.

@Tonye-t
Seven pages of this thread as gone and you are still yet to produce a single shred of evidence that tithing is new testamental [meant for christians] bearing in mind that the matthew 23:23 which you tried to twist was not addressed to christians but to pharisees who were under the law and oblidge to keep it. I also note that uptill now you have blantantly refused to answer chukwudi44's questions which are mainly;

How did tithe become a weekly/ monthly affair contrary to the instructions given in scripture that it should once in three years?
How did tithing become money since it is obvious from scriptures tithes was produce from yearly harvest?
Also why does the church leadership not continue as instructed in the bible that people should eat of their tithes in the place of worship and share with the poor and needy?  
How come the early church NEVER practised this osolete act?
How come biblical tithing is so different [both in principle and act] from the mordern day version?

I know you would run away from asnwering the above questions, but the answer is very simple and glaring: Tithing today in the church is a mordern day distortion of an obsolete jewish law which was never intended for christians and being used to fleece the flock today based on the greed of a few using twisted doctrine to line their pockets

@Gentleme
As you  are obviously on the the curse of the law of tithing i would only pray for you the see the light and receive true salvation which cannot be bought with tithes but is given to us freely through the grace of our lord and savious Jesus christ the son of the living God. However i cannot also stand by and allow fellow "christians" to continue to spread a lie using the name of christianity whilst continuosly dragging in into disrepute. It's no use trying to quote ttalks out of context as i believe we are not illeterates on this forum. He clearly said that it is glaring from scriptures that ustice, mercy and faith were incorporated in to the new covenant whilst tithes was not even contemplated beocs as the bible rightly told us in Hebrews 7: it is a weak, useless and unprofitable law.

[quote author=Tonye-t link=topic=307798.msg4584260#msg4584260 date=1253535001][font=trebuchet ms][color=#000099]@ttalks,

i will rather say you dont have any point to back your claim that titheing is no longer relevant today, that passage i quoted on offering was directed specifically to KunleOshod, because he seem to be against pastors who uses money from the church, and yeah it was not to butress any point on titheing, as for titheing i have taken my time to explain it as it appears folks just come around and make their own sentences and not knowing where this whole issue began in the first place. do you understand?[/quote]My brother i have absolutely nothing against pastors being catered for or benefitting from voluntary free will offerings given to the church. What i would always condenm is pastors twisting scriptures to extort money from the congrgation. The example of tithes is just a glaring case of instituitionalized twisted scripture that as gained acceptance in the church. I am very angry and ashamed that a obvious lie as been firmly established in some so called christian churches becos of the love their pastors have for filthy lucre and the charlatan pantescostal churhes who see church as a business are most guilty of this evil.

@Tonye-t
Thanx for the compliments. I remain a die hard fighter for the biblical truth in christianity and i would continue to expose all the evil and lies being perpetuated against christians by false prophets parading themselves a men of God and twisting scripture for the sake of filthy lucre. You are still yet to show one single scripture in the bible that remotely even suggests that christians should pay tithes in the new tsetament when read in proper context [we have already done justice to matthew 23:23 which you love mis-interpreting] whilst i have shown you several times in the new testament were tithing was described as useless, unprofitable and weak.[Hebrews 7:5-19] . I am also really happy for the likes of you who foolishly try to justiify this fraudulent practise of tithes with me on this forum as it gives me more opportunity to expose the fraud and i can confidently tell you that most of the people that used to debate tithes with me on this forum 2 years ago when i started this glorious campaign against the fraud have now seen the light and are no longer held hostage by the scam. You can continue to promote your racket but let me asure you i would continue to floor you with superior bible based and untwisted scriptures to prove that the doctrine is not only a crime against believers but it is evil in itself.

@Image123
From my past dialogues with you on this forum, i have comne to the conclusion that you are one of those zombie"christians" who just swallow what ever is popular twisted church doctrine that you hear on the pulpit even when it is obvious it is not scripturally sound you twist scriptures to justify the delusion. One thing is crystal clear from the bible, Jesus was a regular driner of alcoholic wine and no matter how much you want to deny or ignore that it still remains a biblical fact{luke 7:33-34}. If you are truly a christian you should be more interested in standing for the truth even it goes against what your pastor whom you worship as told you.

@Tonye-t
I see you are back to spread your false, evil and fraudulent doctrine of tithes in christianity please note i would be around to to prove from scriptures that all your hallucinations about tithes are purely doctrines of men without sound scriptural basis. It is also an embarassment to christianity as you tithes preachers are attempting to turn christianity to a false religion via marmon worship which christ warned us against. That apart i would also like to remind you that the tithes which the pharisees gave [not paid] in your favourite Matthew 23:23 [which you love mis-interrpreting] was mint and cumin[agricultural produce] NOT shekels or any other form of money that was being spent then. Tithing today remains the biggest fraud in christianity and by extention the history of mankind and no matter how much you so called christians try to twist the scriptures the truth is already out and God's Judgement shall prevail on those who twist his word to fleece the flock and make money 2peter 2:1-3

CrazyMan:
@Kunleoshob.
The issue of thite being a jewish law or Christ command is also out of the question because even without having to go through the bible, every true believer should know that appreciating the goodness of God with a token offering is what you shouldn't be told to do.
You should know that its none of your business to know what the church or the pastor would do with your thite offering. Your part as a christian is to pay, and leave the rest to God. If the pastor decides to divert it(the money) to his personal use, then he would have God to answer to.

You should also know that as a true christian and believer i have no business obeying the obsolete Jewish tithing Law[Galatians 5:4] and that even church offerings is solely at my discretion and God doesn't make it compulsary for me to pay. If we are to follow the teachings of christ rather than the doctrines of men, you would realize that giving to God= giving to the poor/needy and Not giving to your church. Also i would like you to quote scripture to back up all the hubris you posted above.

@Olabowale
If i were you i would either abandon this thread or open up my mind to the truth that as been revealed and discussed on it and accept that Islam can't possibly be the truth nor it's prophet sent from God. You are actually doing more damamged to Islam with all your inconsistent and half baked responses to the weighty allegations being made against your prophet and the religion he forced on people. Prior to now i was always willing to give Islam the benefit of the doubt and just tolerate it as a another way of life. But now with all the serious and criminal allegations being made against it's prophet and the inability of a muslim zealot like you and other apologists on this forum to effectively and reasonably defend the allegations, then it becomes clearer to me he cannot be of God. Clearly the history of Islam is frought with violence and evil which happens till this day. And despite all your half baked defence of the evil, child marriages are happening all over the muslim world to this day and this evil practise is justified by the very actions of your prophet as stated in your hadith [which you are now trying to dis-credit rather than own up to the obvious]. It pains me to the bone marrow that innocent little babies are being married off to perverted old BASTARDS all in the name of religion and their lives are bieng ruined for ever. A lot of them also end up with VVF and they are trown away from their "husband's" house by the very mongrels that caused the propblems for them in the first instance. Olabowale you are doing more harm to islam than you can ever imagine and i thank God for this expose, cause i believe even other muslims reading this thread would begin to have second thoughts about a religion they always assumed was true and would eventually realize that they have been led astray. This becomes very obvious with the revelation on this thread that your prophet lacks credibilty and as such CANNOT be of God.

rabzy:
Just for the records, i dont enjoy taking alcohol, except maybe palmwine and a few other wines and i rarely take them, and i have never been drunk before over the last 15 years since i first remember tasting beer. Am not an advocate of wine/beer but the truth of the scritures must stand forever, traditions of men/pastors must not be preached above that of the scriptures.

@Rabzy
Thanx for your thorough, objective and incisive posts on the subject matter. The above highlighted is the crux of the matter traditions/doctrines of men/pastors have taken over the true word of God in our society today and most people can't tell the difference anymore.

@Olabowale
If i were you i would either abandon this thread or open up my mind to the truth that as been revealed and discussed on it and accept that Islam can't possibly be the truth nor it's prophet sent from God. You are actually doing more damamged to Islam with all your inconsistent and half baked responses to the weighty allegations being made against your prophet and the religion he forced on people. Prior to now i was always willing to give Islam the benefit of the doubt and just tolerate it as a another way of life. But now with all the serious and criminal allegations being made against it's prophet and the inability of a muslim zealot like you and other apologists on this forum to effectively and reasonably defend the allegations, then it becomes clearer to me he cannot be of God. Clearly the history of Islam is frought with violence and evil which happens till this day. And despite all your half baked defence of the evil, child marriages are happening all over the muslim world to this day and this evil practise is justified by the very actions of your prophet as stated in your hadith [which you are now trying to dis-credit rather than own up to the obvious]. It pains me to the bone marrow that innocent little babies are being married off to perverted old BASTARDS all in the name of religion and their lives are bieng ruined for ever. A lot of them also end up with VVF and they are trown away from their "husband's" house by the very mongrels that caused the propblems for them in the first instance. Olabowale you are doing more harm to islam than you can ever imagine and i thank God for this expose, cause i believe even other muslims reading this thread would begin to have second thoughts about a religion they always assumed was true and would eventually realize that they have been led astray. This becomes very obvious with the revelation on this thread that your prophet lacks credibilty and as such CANNOT be of God.

ukotmi:
Kunle, are you picking at Catholics this time a round?

Was catholic church mentioned in the Joke I am not picking on anyone and the post is obviously a copy and paste joke so loosen up or don't you have a sense of humour?

@crazyman
How has the crap you just posted explained that tithes is Christ's command which is the question the topic is asking At best you have been able to show us that it is a part of the obsolete Jewish law which has no bearing on christianity. Even the passage you quoted talks about bringing food to the store house and NOT money as our criminally motivated preachers today have twisted it to mean. Giving to God in christianity as taught by christ is primarily about giving to the poor and the needy[matthew 25:31-40] and not about giving money to churches which are man made instituitions anyway. Am sure a true christian would give the direct teachings of christ priority over what any prophet or pastor twists the scriptures to mean.

Papa Ejiro is a church warden in Warri and he is in charge of collecting the Sunday offerings.

One Sunday, after church service, the priest counted the money and discovered the offering was less than he expected.


Then the following confrontation took place.

Priest: Papa Ejiro, you take from the offering money?

Papa Ejiro: No, Fada, I no take.

Priest: I dey ask you again. Papa Ejiro, you take from the offering money?

Papa Ejiro: Fada, I say, I no take from the offering money.

Priest: Papa Ejiro, make you go enter for confession box now, now.

Papa Ejiro: No wahala.

(then they go to the confession box and they both take their seats).

Priest: Papa Ejiro, I dey ask you again. "You take from the offering money?"

Papa Ejiro: Fada, I no dey hear you.

Priest: (yelled at top of his voice) Papa Ejiro, I say you take from the offering money?!

Papa Ejiro: (yelled back) Fada, I no dey hear you o!

Priest was now getting irritated. So he comes out of the confession box and tells Papa Ejiro to trade places with him and says to Papa Ejiro 'ok, ask me any question you like l will see if person can hear from this side'.

Then, they traded places and this was how it went.

Papa Ejiro: Fada, na true say you dey sleep with Mama Ejiro?

The Priest replied: "My god, Papa Ejiro, na true you talk, dem no dey hear wetin person dey talk from dis side!!! Walahi!!!!

brotherly:
Yes you are correct but we must note that we all learners in scriptural matters and must also use scripture to explain scripture. 

To corroborate your point paul even said that:

1Co 8:4  Then concerning the eating of the things sacrificed to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God except one.
1Co 8:5  For though there are those who are called gods, whether in Heaven or in earth (as there are many gods and many lords),
1Co 8:6  but there is to us only one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we by Him.
1Co 8:7  But this knowledge is not in all. But some being aware of the idol eat as an idolatrous sacrifice until now, and their conscience being weak is defiled.
1Co 8:8  But food does not commend us to God. For neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are we the worse.


but later in revelation JESUS chatised the church in Thyatira that:

Rev 2:20  But I have a few things against you because you allow that woman Jezebel to teach, she saying herself to be a prophetess, and to cause My servants to go astray, and to commit fornication, and to eat idol-sacrifices

---

.

This explains that what we eat or drink still matters , this we will understand only if we explain scripture with scritpure.

brotherly:
@KunleOshob

I believe we are in agreement now?

We are not in agreement O! the fact still remains that Jesus our ultimate example clearly used to consume alcohol on a regular basis {luke 7:33-34 makes this very clear, even if you decided to ignore the obvious} Your analogies don't hold water as their is no place in the bible which even remotely suggests christian should not consume alcohol if any thing at all it is endorsed by the actions of Jesus and the apostles. You are obviously trying to force your bias into the bible through the linking of unrelated scriptures to butress your point whilst ignoring the very obvious facts that those Christ himself and the apostles indulged in the consumption of the very alcohol you are implying christians should not drink. I am sure you are aware that it is a sin to add to or remove from th scriptures  . My position remains as far as the bible is corcernd: Moderation is key.
God bless.

A true christian is someone who is christ like in behaviour and attitude and must display the following "fruits of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance": [Galatians 5:22-23]. The truth is that most of us that profess christianity don't display these fruits [especially "christian" leaders who are leader the flock astray]. Being a true christian is not easy.

Ephesians 4:17-32:

Living as Children of Light
17 With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused. 18 Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him. 19 They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity.

20 But that isn’t what you learned about Christ. 21 Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, 22 throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. 23 Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. 24 Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.

25 So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body. 26 And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 for anger gives a foothold to the devil.

28 If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need. 29 Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.

30 And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.

31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. 32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

babaearly:
That clearly is not in the Bible.

I am glad that you are beginning to understand that tithes as it is interpreted and practised today by the church clearly as no sound biblical basis.

The verse below is what the bible defines as true religion and NOT any denomination or sect and any "church" that is not actively abiding by the teaching in that verse is NOT practising true religion.

James 1:27:
27 Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.

Abuzola:
@tpiah, what is your relationship with food ? Huh, small thing you accuse person of famished, nawa o

i again repeat i will give my 7 yrs old daughter in marriage and even marry 7 yrs old if the time being was to be reversed to 1400 years ago

Thanx for confirming what we already know Since we are no longer living 1400 years ago we can safely assert that Islam and it's tenets is outdated and no longer relevant.

skydancer:
Thank God someone else is thinking along this line. People hat to believe what they fear, because it gives them a sense of insecurity. What do we all have to say about the roswell incident or even more importantly 'Area 56'. There are even more mysteries on earth than we can imagine and the ones that we see evidence we hate to believe them. But there's still a question. We think we humans are intelligent, yet till today, we have never understood how our brain works much less understand the other powers that exist in the universe. And some things we call psychic powers, which the igbos had a long time ago, but was tarnished by mordernity because of the claim that all our powers and practices was devilish.

I am sure you mean Area 51, which is the top secret "military" based suspected of habouring Aliens and their technology.

Recognise:
[b]@Abuzola[/

There you have it. Are you now ready to make peace with the LORD and embrace Christianity?

It would really be nice to see Abuzola confess that Jesus christ is lord over his life but i am afraid that the legion of demons and the spirit of paedophilia in him would continue to inhibit him.

@Bobbaf
I am also yet to find one single shred of scripture that instructs that tithing should be adopted as a doctrine in christianity. The abraham example you people keep giving is deceptive as abraham tithed only once out of his own volition and there is no record to show that Jacob ever redeemed his conditional promise to tithes which also runs contrary to the false doctrine of tithes being propagated today. That apart if you read the whole of hebrew 7 in it's proper context you would confirm there that the commandment to tithe[commandement being the key word] was anulled and described as weak and unprofitable. I would repeat for the upteenth time the passage here and highlight the salient points.

Hebrews 7:5-19:
5And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham:
6But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises.
7And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better.
8And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.
9And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham.
10For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.
11If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron?
12[b]For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.[/b]
13For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar.
14For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.
15And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest,
16Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.
17For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
18[b]For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof.[/b]
19For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.


It is quite evident that it is the same commandment to tithe in verse 5[which some pastors twist to justify tithes as bobbyaf tried to do using the melchizedek example] that is being annulled in verse 12 and 18 and being described as weak, useless and unprofitable. No matter how you guys try to twist this Hebrew scripture you cannot explain away those verse else you would be quoting the scripture out of context.

PS: I know a lot of churches don’t have any qualms about quoting scripture out of context anway.

maedan:
^^^^Will some bible scholar please do some justice to this fasting issue because we're about to have a convert right here !!!
I know there's somewhere Jesus called himself the bridegroom, and that while he was with them, they need not fast - but then when the bridegroom(he) is no more around, there would then be cause to fast. Something like that. So @ Abuzola you're well on your way to embracing Christianity----> !!!

@Maedan i think the verse below is what you have in mind.
@Abuzola, we are eagerly awaiting your conversion

Mark 2:18-20:
18 Once when John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting, some people came to Jesus and asked, “Why don’t your disciples fast like John’s disciples and the Pharisees do?”
19 Jesus replied, “Do wedding guests fast while celebrating with the groom? Of course not. They can’t fast while the groom is with them. 20 But someday the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.

olalekan1:
You are wrong. If you are a muslim you will know what it means. Moreover, if its not the right thing in Islam, Gani himself would have go against it while he was alive.

I can't possibly be wrong, maybe you mean Gani is wrong as that is the reason he gave his children for delaying his burial, as per going against it when he was alive, when did Gani become a religious crusader I thought he was a human rghts activist. And what better way can he go against it than by living firm instructions that he doesn't want to be buried in the Arabic way?

olabowale:
@Davidylan: Just like you are jumping between the possibility of Rapture or not, your chance that Jesus is a Christian is just that, a chance that is not even 10%. The muslims will not claim that Jesus is not a Bani Israil, but he is not a Yahuud, he is on the same religion like Ibrahim (AS)!

Will Rapture meet you or you will wait in vain for it and grow old and wither just like the same way a 150 year old withers?

Alhaji do you know what christian means at all Christian means christ like and followers of christ are called christians, since Jesus cannot follow himself he can't be a christian and i don't think anybody as ever called him such on this forum on the contrary he is the author and the finisher of our faith whom God the father as given all authority in heaven and on earth and who has been given thuis earth as an inheritance.

Abuzola:
@jesu, you better stop lying on your pentecostal mosque, church i mean, they all gather the money to organise fake miracle, if you don't know now you know

what are you looking for on this christian thread again at least we know money collected in mosques is being used to finance terrorism all over the world.

Gani believed that burial within 24hours in the koran was actually a cultural and NOT religious injunction. The reason being that burial was immediate in the arabian area becos of the very hot climate their which made corpses to decompose fast, but today in our environment and with mordern innovations the corpse does not decompose so fast hence the need to dis-regard the cultural injunction of the arab people.

@Olabowale
We are anxiously and eagerly waiting for your answers, your evasive tactics would do you and your attampt at propagating islam no good. I think you should be a gentle man and answer the questions even if you have to admit the fallacies in islam. It doesn't hurt to be honest does it?

JeSoul:
. . . at least this is where biblically speaking such monies are supposed to go.

I don't agree with you here the early church examples given us in the new testament showed us that church offerings were meant primarily to take care of the needy within the church and outside of it that is not to say it cannot be used to maintain the church/ clergy but priority must be given to those the bible gave it to.

Acts 4:32-35:
32 All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had. 33 The apostles testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God’s great blessing was upon them all. 34 There were no needy people among them, because those who owned land or houses would sell them 35 and bring the money to the apostles[b] to give to those in need.[/b]
2 Corinthians 9:7-9:
7 You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” 8 And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. 9 As the Scriptures say,
  “They share freely and give generously to the poor.
     Their good deeds will be remembered forever.”

Colossians 2:16-23:

   16 So don’t let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new moon ceremonies or Sabbaths. 17 For these rules are only shadows of the reality yet to come. And Christ himself is that reality. 18 Don’t let anyone condemn you by insisting on pious self-denial or the worship of angels,[a] saying they have had visions about these things. Their sinful minds have made them proud, 19 and they are not connected to Christ, the head of the body. For he holds the whole body together with its joints and ligaments, and it grows as God nourishes it.

   20 You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the spiritual powers of this world. So why do you keep on following the rules of the world, such as, 21 “Don’t handle! Don’t taste! Don’t touch!”? 22 Such rules are mere human teachings about things that deteriorate as we use them. 23 These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, pious self-denial, and severe bodily discipline. But they provide no help in conquering a person’s evil desires.